Petunia plant named ‘Duepepcer’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Duepepcer’, characterized by its compact, mounding and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; red purple and white bi-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical Designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEPEPCER’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duepepcer’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-flowering Petunia plants with large attractive and unique flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2011 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T10-4970-003, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T10-4267-013, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duepepcer’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duepepcer’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, mounding and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Red purple and white bi-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have red and yellow bi-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Petunia are more freely branching than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have purple-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Petunia are more compact than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of Petunia×hybrida ‘Cascadias Bicolor Cabernet’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Petunia differed primarily from plants of ‘Cascadias Bicolor Cabernet’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more compact than plants of         ‘Cascadias Bicolor Cabernet’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia were more vigorous than plants of         ‘Cascadias Bicolor Cabernet’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia had larger leaves than plants of         ‘Cascadias Bicolor Cabernet’.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Cascadias Bicolor Cabernet’.     -   5. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Cascadias Bicolor Cabernet’         differed slightly in flower color.     -   6. Plants of the new Petunia had longer flower peduncles than         plants of ‘Cascadias Bicolor Cabernet’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duepepcer’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were 16 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Duepepcer’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T10-4970-003, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T10-4267-013, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, mounding and outwardly             spreading plant habit; freely branching habit with about             eight to ten lateral branches developing after pinching;             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 17 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 55 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 27 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3.5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144A to 144B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,             opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 3.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 2 cm.         -   Shape.—Spatulate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; leathery.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D; venation,             close to 137D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 7.2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually             about seven to nine open flowers and flower buds per lateral             branch and about 60 to 90 flowers developing per plant;             flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during             the spring and summer in Germany; early flowering habit,             plants typically beginning flowering about nine weeks after             planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to             seven days on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 6.4 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.3 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 4.3 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—About 2.6 mm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from             throat): About 2.4 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.1 cm. Petal             shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Obtuse. Petal margin:             Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Rippled,             glabrous. Throat texture: Rippled, glabrous. Tube texture:             Rippled, pubescent. Color: Petal lobe, when opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 63B and 155C;             venation, close to 145A; red purple color becoming closer to             62B with development. Petal lobe, when opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 155D; venation, close to             145A. Flower throat: Close to 79B; venation, close to 46A.             Flower tube: Close to 155C; venation, close to 145A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base forming a             star-shaped calyx. Sepal length: About 2.1 cm. Sepal width:             About 2.2 mm. Sepal shape: Oblong. Sepal apex: Rounded.             Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper surface: Close to 143A.             Color, lower surface: Close to 143B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close             to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 1.8 mm. Filament color: Close to             157C. Anther length: About 1.4 mm. Anther shape: Ovate.             Anther color: Close to 10A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 10B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 2.2 cm. Style length: About 1.9 cm.             Style color: Close to 157A. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma             color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 145A. Seeds and             fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on             plants of the new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Duepepcer’ as illustrated and described. 